Obsession

Lucius only knew of the first Hogsmeade weekend because of his son. He saw Harry outside of the Three Broomsticks.

“Dumbledore’s dying.”

Lucius opened his mouth to speak, but Harry continued.

“And Malfoy is up to something, but no one, especially my friends, believes me. And Snape is even more of a sadistic bastard than before now that he is teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. And Slughorn is weird and creepy and, my head hurts.”

Lucius felt amused at Harry’s unusual and rare display of teenage immaturity.

Harry tilted his head to the side and said, “I’ve separated you and your son entirely.”

Harry walked into the pub and chose a secluded seat. Either he expected Lucius to follow, or didn’t care one way or the other.

“I want to tell you the Prophesy. I haven’t even told my friends the whole thing, but…”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell the Dark Lord?”

“No.” The reply was immediate, and Lucius realized that Harry was right. He wouldn’t go back to the Dark Lord with it. He wouldn’t betray Harry like that. When did that happen? His plans were changing on him with out his realizing it.

Lucius listened as Harry told him the Prophesy. He also told Lucius more about what Draco was up to, and about Snape. Lucius went home with a lot on his mind. Harry gave him a lot of power with the truth of the Prophesy. And, after hearing what Harry said about Draco, Lucius became more interested in those activities. He knew the Dark Lord had plans for Draco, he’d warned Harry of it. Lucius just didn’t know the specifics. He was beginning to guess what it might be.

Lucius was torn, another feeling he hadn’t felt was coming to the surface. He didn’t know if he should support his son on a task that may end with Harry’s death, or support Harry, which may end with Draco’s death. For a Malfoy, family should come first, but power was so intoxicating.

Lucius sipped his cognac, wondering how to unravel the surprising knots his loyalties were tied up in.

When Lucius saw Harry next, the first thing out of the boy’s mouth was, “You need to do something about Draco before he kills someone or gets killed himself. Take him away. He’s playing a dangerous game and he is way over his head.”

Lucius felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He didn’t have to choose.

“I will impress upon him the seriousness of his actions.”

Harry nodded, them smiled. “Tell me about your childhood.”

Lucius froze, not knowing why Harry would want to know about that. With his long silence, for the first time in a long time, Harry became insecure and stammered out, “If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. I was just curious; you must have had a vastly different childhood than me.”

Lucius slowly relaxed.

“Another time, maybe. How goes your quest with Dumbledore?” It annoyed Lucius that Harry wouldn’t tell him the details of that quest. He was being very tight-lipped about it.

Harry’s eyes became shadowed. “It’s killing him. And I think the reason is because he’s not the one destined to kill this Dark Lord. I also think something is happening between him and Snape.”

“For someone who declares a strong dislike of those two people, you certainly express a lot of concern for them.”

Harry waved the words off, saying, “If they become someone else’s problem, or if they are out of my way, then that is one thing I don’t have to worry about in the craziness that is my life.”

Lucius felt a sense of great satisfaction at Harry’s pragmatic display.

“Are you really planning on doing something about your son?”

Lucius blinked at the question, there was not conflict in Lucius’ mind about helping Harry.

“Has Voldemort called you?”

Lucius nodded, offering no apologies; but then, Harry wasn’t asking for any. He went back to the manor and started making plans for getting Draco away from Harry, Hogwarts and the Dark Lord. There was a minor branch of the Malfoy family in Morocco that would take him; at least until this whole war was over.

He was walking to the room with the Floo when he passed the picture of his uncle. The man was sneering at Lucius. He’d silenced the portrait before Draco was born, but now, he found that he wanted to hear was the old man had to say.

“You’ve disgraced the name of Malfoy. You’ve become weak, just like your parents.”

Lucius calmly took his want out and pointed it at the portrait.

“You were the one who said a Malfoy is subservient to no one. Yet you bowed down to someone else. You disgraced the name first. I was just too young to know better and you were too strong then.”

The man in the portrait scoffed.

“You were just as obsessed with power. Only now, you’ve transferred that obsession to a sixteen year old boy.”

Lucius smiled maliciously and said, “I am ensuring the survival of myself and the reputation of the Malfoy name. The same name you started ruining. Father was…” Lucius stopped talking because his uncle Octavius got a speculative look on his face, then smiled.

“I know what you’re doing. Have the tides turned that much since you murdered me?”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Uncle.” Lucius used a cutting curse to destroy the painting; the same curse he used to kill his very first victim.

When Lucius finished with the fire call, it was arranged that Draco would stay in Morocco. He walked to his office and found an owl waiting for him. The attached letter was from Dumbledore, requesting a meeting. The old man even allowed Lucius to choose the place.

He didn’t want to go to the school, nor did he want the Headmaster in his home; but he also didn’t want to go anywhere that he’d be recognized either.

Two days later, Lucius found himself walking down a street in muggle London. When he met up with Albus Dumbledore, he immediately knew he wasn’t dealing with the Headmaster, but rather, the defeater of Grindelwald. Despite his pale complexion and sickly appearance, he still radiated power.

He also didn’t waste time with pretense of niceties. “Do you know what you’re getting into with Harry?”

“I was unaware that I was getting into anything with him.”

Dumbledore smiled enigmatically, “What would Lord Voldemort think when he learns you have abandoned him, Lucius?”

“What makes you think that?” Lucius asked sharply.

The old man didn’t answer, he didn’t have to. Lucius narrowed his eyes. How dare he? Lucius’ loyalties belonged to no one but himself. That Albus Dumbledore should insinuate otherwise was erroneous; that Dumbledore should presume to think he knew Lucius’ motives was insulting. He was following the power, and right now, both the Dark Lord’s and Dumbledore’s power was waning, while Harry Potter’s power was growing. He was attracted to the tempting innocence Harry’s power offered. Half the time, he didn’t know whether he wanted to preserve it or corrupt it.

“I assure you, Headmaster, you may think what you please, but you are quite mistaken. My loyalties have always been the same.”

Lucius left the meeting place and went back home. Loyal to Harry Potter? Him? Not possible! To prove the Headmaster wrong, Lucius did not return to the school. He changed his plans concerning Draco. Who did that little Potter brat think he was, telling him what to do with his own son?

Lucius went about with his daily routine, ignoring the calls of the Dark Lord from his arm, and the calls of Harry from somewhere inside.

It was the end of the school year before Lucius was able to pull himself out of his self-imposed isolation from Harry. He felt a twinge of worry and anger, as well as intense grief. He had no idea where these feelings were coming from, or what they pertained to. All he knows was they came from the school. Without thinking, he grabbed his cape, walking stick and wand, then left.

He arrived amidst a setting of chaos. Death Eaters were running about, as well as students, teachers and Aurors. Lucius strode through it all. He just followed the feelings. It was like a line was tethered to him, tugging him. He fired off curses at the people in his way, not wanting to be impeded. He found himself being led towards to the astronomy tower.

Before he got there, Lucius cast a disillusionment charm on himself. When he entered the tower, he saw his son and Dumbledore in some sort of stand-off. Only, Draco had Dumbledore’s wand. Lucius felt a surge of fatherly pride well up inside him, then fear. That was the task the Dark Lord wanted Draco to complete. His son would never be able to do so; he wasn’t a killer. Draco didn’t have the heart, stomach, or disposition for it. But where was Harry? Lucius recognized the bubble of feelings that led him here now, they were Harry’s; therefore he should be in the tower also.

Dumbledore’s eyes landed on Lucius briefly before they flickered to a corner. Lucius looked, but didn’t see anything. Was Harry there? Lucius didn’t have a chance to do anything because Severus burst in.

It disturbed Lucius to hear the great Albus Dumbledore plead, especially to Severus. A flash of green left Lucius reeling. He saw, as if in slow motion, Albus Dumbledore fall. Someone must have used a charm to slow everything down. There was a ringing in his ears. Seeing the Dumbledore’s death wasn’t as satisfying as he’d once thought. In fact, it gave him quite a different feeling; one of hopelessness.

Lucius blinked and came back to himself. He saw Harry starring down to where the headmaster had fallen. When he turned, Lucius saw such a hate filled expression that he took an involuntary step back.

Severus must have seen it also, because he grabbed Draco and bounded out of the room. With a snarl, Harry followed. His anger must have brought forth his deeper magics, because he seemed to practically fly. Lucius immediately followed after. He heard Harry fling curse after clumsy curse. Draco made the mistake of turning, and even Lucius saw the fear; but also to malicious glee in his son’s eyes.

Harry must have seen it too, because his next curse hit its mark. Draco went down, screaming under the cruciatus curse.

Something inside Lucius twisted in dismay and fear at the fact that Harry could summon and hold that much hate; and that it was towards Draco, Lucius’ own flesh and blood.

Severus cancelled the curse and shot Harry an unreadable look. He dragged Draco up and kept pulling the boy along.

“YOU COWARD!! YOU LYING COWARD! STAY HIDDEN SNAPE. KEEP RUNNING, AND MAKE SURE TO STAY ON YOUR MASTER’S GOOD SIDE. BECAUSE WHAT HE’D DO TO YOU WILL PALE IN COMPARISON TO WHAT I PLAN IF I CATCH UP WITH YOU.”

What ever hope Lucius had left, even after Dumbledore’s death, died when he heard those words. This night, Harry was standing on the knife’s edge to becoming a dark Lord. If someone didn’t do something to bring him back, there could be two Dark Lords to deal with, and Lucius had the feeling Harry would be the more dangerous of the two. He didn’t have an agenda other than to hunt down anyone and everyone who hurt him, and the list was long.

The battle ended when the Death Eaters saw Severus running with Draco. The school courtyard was quiet and eerie in the aftermath. Lucius was just about to go to Harry when he saw his two friends, Weasley and Granger, running towards the youth.

“Harry, what happened?”

Harry looked at Granger and said in a dead voice.

“He’s dead.”

“What?” Weasley, ever the idiot.

“Dumbledore is dead. Right in front of me. He, Snape, killed him. And he fell.”

“Oh, Harry.” Granger started to enclose Harry in a hug until Weasley stopped her. The look on his face was one of betrayed anger.

“And you let him?”

Harry looked up sharply, and Lucius would have cursed the red headed brat if Harry hadn’t had his wand pointed at him first.

“I didn’t’ let anyone do anything. I was frozen in place by Dumbledore’s own hand. There was nothing I could do.”

“Well, you let them, Snape and Malfoy, get away.”

Harry glared at Weasley, and he looked like he wanted to curse the boy. After successfully casting the cruciatus on an enemy tonight, Lucius was curious to see what he’d to someone he considered a friend. Unfortunately, Lucius thought, Harry managed to control himself and lowered his wand, but he didn’t put it away.

“I didn’t let him get away. I chased them, and I hit Malfoy with a curse.”

Granger took a step back; she had no need to be told which curse Harry had used.

“Oh Harry, you didn’t.”

“It seems that regardless of what I do, I’m to be condemned, so I may as well do what needs to be done, despite what you or anyone might think or want.”

Harry turned and looked straight as Lucius, who still had the disillusionment charm on. Those green eyes had honed hard and cold. Lucius felt a shiver run up his spine.

“Will you try and stop me?”

Lucius recognized the knife’s edge Harry stood on. He had a tenuous tether that connected him to the side of light. And right then, Lucius had the power to push him one way or the other. Unfortunately, Lucius didn’t know which words would push him which way. So, he went with his instincts.

Lucius removed the disillusionment charm and replied, looking straight at Harry, “I won’t stop you from doing what you need to do.”

When Harry smiled, Lucius honestly didn’t know if he’d said the right thing or not.

“Why do you need his help?”

Lucius raised an eyebrow at the disgust in the Weasley boy’s voice.

“Because, right now, I trust him to help me. And, unlike anyone else, I know where he stands.”

From the look in Harry’s eyes, Lucius believed the boy knew where he stood better than Lucius knew.

“You’d trust a Death Eater before your friends?”

“No, I trust Lucius, and that is the difference. Ron, I need your help too. You and Hermione are the only other ones who know the task Dumbledore gave me. But, I’ll only take whatever help you are willing to give. I can’t do this alone.”

Weasley looked unsure, casting suspicious looks in Lucius’ direction. The boy nodded slowly, and Granger sighed in exasperation and hugged Harry.

“We’re with you for all of this Harry, no matter what.”

Harry smiled in relief, and Lucius rolled his eyes at the sweetness of it. It was just so Gryffindorish.

“I need to return to the Dursley’s for the summer. I promised the—I promised Dumbledore I would, at least until my birthday.”

Weasley and Granger nodded, as did Lucius, but he was planning ways to remove Harry from there. There was no way he should spend anytime with those horrid muggles, especially after the events of this last year.

“I need to speak with Ginny.”

The Weasley boy looked up at that and narrowed his eyes.

“You’re going to hurt her, aren’t you?”

Harry shrugged and replied, “If she hurts a little now, I will save her from a lot of pain later. I’m doing this for her…and for me.”

The Weasley brat made a move toward Harry, but a look from those green eyes stopped him.

“This is between Ginny and me, Ron. You stay out of it. Go home; spend time with your family. I’ll see you on my birthday.”

It was an order, not a request, and Weasley and Granger left quietly and together. The girl looked back once.

Lucius turned his attention back to Harry; noticed how exhausted he was.

“I cursed your son.” It wasn’t an apology. Not quite.

“I know.”

“You said you’d get him out of here, away from all of this. Why didn’t you?”

The reason seemed petty and stupid, and Lucius didn’t want to give words to it. But Harry’s eyes demanded, begged for an answer.

“It was hard to go against years of training.”

It was a more honest answer than Lucius had intended to give, but it was still too vague to satisfactorily answer the question.

“One day, you will tell me about that, but now; now I need to break a young girl’s heart, and I need to rest. I’m tired; so very tired.”

Lucius thought about it for less than a second. If he allowed himself more time, he wouldn’t give in to the impulse. He watched his son fall; he found he didn’t want to see Harry do so also. He pulled the young man towards himself, allowing Harry to lean against him. He watched as Professor McGonagall came striding out, fire storming in her eyes, mingling with grief and determination.

“Then rest, Harry, I’ll be here.”

Lucius smirked in a sort of malicious glee when he saw the professor’s steps falter.

I think this story is growing on me. Although, when I look back on it, it seems as if I'm not really creating a story, just retelling the books from Lucius' POV. I suppose that is different, and I am changing a bunch of things to fit this story. I also realized that this story is rather short. There is only a few more chapters, then it's over. I'm not sure whether I want to end it with the unhappily ever after, or go for the happy ending. I usually go for the happy one, but I suppose it will depend on my mood when I post the last chapter. I also think this story is going really off track from how it started, but like I said, I'm really starting to like it. Hopefully it comes together by the end in a satisfactorily way.

I know it may seem repetitive that I constantly say how Lucius feels, and that will come into play in a later chapter. How he feels is important because usually, he doesn't. And that is all I'll say about that right now.